Hey guys! First I want to say (cover your ears) I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER WHATSOEVER! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE QUEEN HERSELF! Whoo!
You might have heard that this series was taken down because of "copyright issues" something about song lyrics. But this time, I will not post any song lyrics whatsoever. Before, I had just now deleted all song lyrics from the chapters containing them. I will mention song names, but not song lyrics. Wish me luck guys as I try to post this series again.
Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.
No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.
"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."
He was looking over at Harry as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Harry, who was measuring out powdered spine of lionfish, ignored them. Malfoy had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that the Slytherins had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next. Then he'd realized that nobody found this funny, because they were all so impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick. So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting Harry about having no proper family.
The Slytherin girls had apparently started playing, "Follow the Leader" and started mercilessly teasing Tess about her home and just how much they disliked her simple for being from another country. Some had even taken to mocking her American accent. But they would all get shot down with Tess' snappy insults and Snape still looked at her like she was a disease. But Tess didn't care. However one Pansy Parkinson met a death by a broken wrist when she crossed a line insulting Tess that her mother probably died looking at her. During the fight it had taken the entire Quidditch team to pull her back. Snape had tried to give her detention but Dumbledore let her off.
It was true that Harry wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas. Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed up at once. He didn't feel sorry for himself at all; this would probably be the best Christmas he'd ever had. Ron and his brothers were staying, too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie.
Tess and Hermione didn't sign up. Hermione would be going back to her parents while Tess would be in New York.
"Promise me that you will take photos of New York in the winter?" Hermione asked her as they were in the Great Hall saying goodbye to the rest of the team.
"I promise you guys." Tess said. "Promise me you'll call?"
"Yes I have your number." Hermione said.
"Well we'll have to write." Harry said.
"You guys seriously have to show me how this telly-phone works." Ron said in wonder. "My dad would be excited."
"I'll show you sometime." Harry said to the ginger.
"Come here." Hermione said, bringing the group in a hug. "Have a Happy Christmas."
Tess's smile was instantly deflated. "Oh. Yeah, Merry Christmas."
"Is something wrong?" Harry asked.
"Well." Tess said. "This used to be my favorite time of the year but the my mom died right before Christmas, so...kinda ruined the holidays."
Tess and Hermione said their own goodbyes when they the left the train. They had spent the entire trip talking about their own lives in their cities.
In the station, carrying her backpack with her stuff for the holidays, Tess looked around but couldn't find her family.
"Tess!" She heard her cousin's voice. "Over here!"
Tess turned around and ran into Johnnie's arms then started getting squeezed by Aunt Sara.
"Hey Sara." Tess said. "Great to see you. Now can I just breeeaaathe?"
"Oh sorry." Sara said brushing her hands.
The trio went through the Floo network back to their apartment in New York City of the United States of America where Sara had prepared a welcome home dinner for Tess. The family sat and had mild conversations and Sara laughed saying that she was just like Johnnie when he came home for Christmas and that he wouldn't shut up about his time at Ivermorny.
Dinner ended with a tearful moment of silence for Morgan Crosswell and they went to bed.
"So Tess." Johnnie said, half asleep, noticing his cousin staring at the ceiling. "How does it feel to be back in the USA?"
"Well I missed you guys." Tess said. "There's that."